Chatham drug investigation nets record cocaine amount

Russ Bynum/The Associated Press More than 50 pounds of cocaine seized from suspected drug dealers is displayed by authorities during a news conference Monday in Savannah. Police said the confiscated cocaine is worth roughly $2.7 million. Their drug investigation in coastal Georgia and South Carolina also resulted in charges against 39 suspects.

The Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team along with other law enforcement agencies seized a record 23 kilos of cocaine during a 20-month long drug investigation. Marcus E. Howard/Savannah Morning News

The Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team seized a record amount of cocaine during a nearly two-year-long investigation to dismantle three drug rings in Coastal Georgia and South Carolina.

On Monday, CNT officials announced that 23 kilograms of cocaine, worth more than $1 million, seized during one traffic stop was the largest amount it has seized at one time in its 18-year history.

In total, 23.40 kilograms of cocaine — valued at $2.76 million — was seized during the 20-month investigation in partnership with the Beaufort/Jasper Multi-Agency Drug Task Force and federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

Thirty-nine suspects have been indicted in Chatham Superior Court in connection with the investigation, dubbed Operation Full Circle, on charges of conspiracy to violate the Georgia Controlled Substance Act.

Investigators also seized 10.9 pounds of marijuana — valued at $48,832 — along with 10 firearms from convicted felons and a total of $312,769.

CNT Director Everette Ragan said thousands of hours of surveillance, both manpower and electronic, went into the investigation that began in March 2011 with the identification of a drug organization operating mainly in Beaufort and Jasper counties as well as the Savannah area.

For a year, investigators made numerous undercover purchases of cocaine. Numerous warrants were then executed and drugs seized during the following year.

Ragan said the main players were five “multi-kilo drug dealers.” Four of the five, he said, lived outside Savannah city limits but brought the drugs inside the city to do business at places such as 35th Lane at Ogeechee Road, 58th Street just east of Waters Avenue and the 500 block of Park Avenue.

Their hideouts were in Pooler, Garden City and other nearby areas, Ragan said.

The two main sources of supply for the cocaine were in McIntosh County and Atlanta, according to investigators.

Most of the cocaine was seized on July 3 from the arrest of two suspects who fled from dozens of marked police vehicles on Interstate 16 in Laurens County. Police seized 23 kilos, or 50.70 pounds, of cocaine and $24,520 after the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder crashed through a cornfield.

Three residential search warrants for Ernest Edwards, Grilly Holloway and Jack Lee Brown were executed in Chatham County following the seizure, resulting in the seizure of marijuana and $69,677. According to an indictment, the men traveled from the Savannah area to get the drugs in Atlanta.

On Nov. 29, a sweep in partnership with more than 14 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies resulted in 39 arrests throughout Georgia and South Carolina and the seizure of cocaine, marijuana, guns and $158,433 in cash.

Ragan said judges worked closely with agents in issuing court orders.

Of the 39 people indicted, 35 had prior arrests in Chatham County and 32 of the 35 had been previously arrested by CNT agents, said CNT agent Gene Harley.

“As a result of the cooperation and hours spent on this, this is a success story for CNT and all of the law enforcement agencies in this community and surrounding areas who participated,” said Ragan.

“Any time we needed something we reached out and were never turned down. The spirit of law enforcement and cooperation was eminent and something we can be proud of.”

In attendance at Monday’s news conference in the Chatham Commissioners meeting room were dozens of elected and law enforcement officials, including Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson, police Chief Willie Lovett, District Attorney-elect Meg Heap and commission Chairman-elect Al Scott.

Commission Chairman Pete Liakakis praised the work done by all participating agencies, especially CNT, whose agents he said have logged 2,993 hours this year.

“Sometimes it has taken over 20 individual agents to work just one case,” he said.

“It’s really important that we have an organization like this and where they go beyond the call of duty to do these things that are important for the citizens in our community.”

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for
following agreed-upon rules of civility. Posts and
comments do not reflect the views of this site. Posts and comments are
automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some
comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules,
click the "Flag as offensive" link below the comment.

Woohoo! Now the new Chief of Police in Bluffton South Carolina needs to pay attention to the drug dealings and place his officers on 46 at Hagler Blvd ( on 46). The "boom boom cars" ( cars with very loud music playing ) in my neighborhood is a sure sign coming out of Vista View that there are drug dealings going on. This may very well be a Beaufort County Police Jurisdiction of South Carolina ,but we can work together on this criminal activity. Yes? This could be a beginning of a neighborhood watch.